Chapter 6: The Husband She Thought Was Dead
"How many husbands have you had?""
Marcus's question hung in the dining room.
I stood at the bottom of the staircase, one hand gripping the polished banister.
Nobody moved.
Not Daniel.
Not Ethan.
Not even Marcus.
I could hear the grandfather clock ticking in the hallway.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then I laughed.
It was a small, nervous sound.
"You're being ridiculous.""
Marcus didn't blink.
"Answer me.""
"Adrian and I were married years ago. It ended before I met you.""
Daniel opened his briefcase again.
"According to the records, your marriage to Adrian Vale was never legally dissolved.""
I looked at him.
"That's not true.""
"Would you like me to show you the certificate?""
"I have divorce papers.""
"Then perhaps you can explain why the county clerk has no record of them.""
Marcus slowly pulled out a chair.
"Sit down, Vanessa.""
"I'm not a child.""
"Then stop behaving like someone who thinks everyone else is stupid.""
His voice was different now.
There was no anger in it.
Just disgust.
I lowered myself into the chair.
Ethan remained standing.
He had stopped pressing the napkin against his lip. A thin line of dried blood had reached his chin.
He looked at me with an expression I had never seen before.
Not hatred.
Disappointment.
Somehow, that was worse.
Daniel removed another document.
"Adrian Vale was reported deceased four years ago.""
Marcus stared.
"Reported?""
"His death certificate was filed in another state. However, the investigation into the financial transfers suggests that someone has been using his identity.""
Ethan looked at me.
"He's alive, isn't he?""
I said nothing.
Marcus leaned forward.
"Vanessa.""
I looked down at my hands.
Adrian and I had met when I was twenty-six.
He had been charming, ambitious, and completely uninterested in ordinary rules.
We married after six months.
By our second anniversary, I had discovered that he was using my name to open accounts and move money between companies.
When I confronted him, he told me something I never forgot.
"People don't steal from people they love, Vanessa. They steal from people who trust them.""
I left him.
Or thought I had.
Two years later, Adrian found me again.
He had changed his name, his appearance, and his business.
He told me he had a plan.
A rich widower.
A lonely household.
A son who stood between the father and the inheritance.
He said I wouldn't need to work another day in my life.
I told him I wasn't interested.
Then he showed me photographs of Marcus.
And a copy of Richard Cole's estate documents.
I should have walked away.
Instead, I asked how much money was involved.
Now, sitting in Marcus's dining room, I realized that the man I had helped destroy might have been planning this longer than I had.
"Where is Adrian?"" Marcus asked.
I shook my head.
"I don't know.""
Daniel placed a printed photograph on the table.
It showed a man entering a hotel in Miami.
He wore a dark baseball cap and carried a leather bag.
I recognized him immediately.
Marcus saw my expression.
"You know him.""
"No.""
"Don't lie.""
I stared at the photograph.
"He's alive.""
Ethan exhaled sharply.
"Of course he is.""
Marcus picked up the photograph.
"Where can we find him?""
"I don't know.""
Daniel spoke calmly.
"His last known location was Miami. We have reason to believe he has been coordinating transfers through a company connected to your wife.""
Marcus looked at me.
"How much of this was planned?""
I swallowed.
"Everything wasn't supposed to happen like this.""
Ethan laughed.
"That isn't an answer.""
I turned toward him.
"You don't understand what it's like to have nothing.""
He stared at me.
"Nothing?""
I gestured toward the house.
"Your father gave you everything!""
"He gave me a home. You tried to steal it.""
"You have no idea what I've sacrificed.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"My grandfather worked his entire life to leave me something. My mother died before I could understand what was happening. My uncle died without getting to know me properly. And you used all of that to fund your little scheme.""
I slapped the table.
"Don't pretend your family was perfect!""
Marcus stood.
"Enough.""
His phone rang.
Daniel glanced at the screen.
"That's the bank.""
Marcus answered.
"Yes?""
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
He put the call on speaker.
"Mr. Cole, we've temporarily suspended the outgoing transfers connected to Vantage Lifestyle Holdings. However, another transaction was completed earlier this evening.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"What transaction?""
"A wire transfer of $75,000.""
"Where?""
"An account registered under Adrian Vale.""
Daniel immediately began writing.
Marcus looked at me.
"Did you authorize this?""
I didn't answer.
The bank representative continued.
"There's another concern. The transfer was initiated from a device currently located at your residence.""
Everyone looked toward the staircase.
Marcus frowned.
"That can't be right.""
The representative read the device identification.
Daniel checked his notes.
Then he looked at me.
"Vanessa, do you have another phone?""
I stood.
"No.""
Ethan pointed toward my handbag.
"What's that?""
I looked down.
A faint vibration came from inside it.
My heart stopped.
Marcus reached for the bag.
"Don't touch it!""
The words escaped before I could stop them.
Marcus froze.
He slowly opened the handbag.
Inside, beneath my makeup pouch, was a small black phone.
The screen illuminated.
One new message.
*ADRIAN: GET OUT NOW. THEY KNOW ABOUT THE SECOND TRUST.*
Marcus read it.
Then Ethan took the phone.
He opened the conversation.
There were dozens of messages.
Some dated months earlier.
Some from the previous week.
And one from that afternoon.
*ADRIAN: Once Ethan signs the settlement, the inheritance becomes easier to challenge. Make sure he leaves before midnight.*
Ethan looked up.
"That's why you offered me the money.""
I couldn't speak.
He scrolled further.
Another message appeared.
*ADRIAN: If Marcus refuses, use the incident we discussed. Make it look like Ethan attacked you.*
Marcus slowly turned toward me.
The torn dress.
The broken glass.
The slap.
Everything.
His face became frighteningly calm.
"You planned to have my son arrested?""
I began crying.
"Adrian told me to do it.""
"You did it.""
"I was scared!""
Marcus pointed toward the front door.
"You're leaving this house tonight.""
I stared at him.
"You can't throw me out.""
"Watch me.""
Daniel stepped between us.
"Marcus, don't do anything impulsive. We need to handle this properly.""
I looked at the black phone in Ethan's hand.
Then at the open front door.
For the first time, I understood that Adrian hadn't sent that message to protect me.
He had sent it because he knew something I didn't.
The second trust.
And when Ethan asked Daniel what it meant, the attorney's face changed.
"There's a second inheritance?"" Ethan asked.
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
Daniel looked at Marcus.
"Your grandmother established it before Richard died.""
He opened his briefcase.
"And the beneficiary isn't the only person who knows about it.""
My phone vibrated again.
This time, the message came from an unknown number.
*VANESSA, IF YOU WANT TO SEE ADRIAN ALIVE AGAIN, COME TO THE OLD COLE WAREHOUSE. COME ALONE.*
I looked at the message.
May you like
Then at Marcus.
And I realized that Adrian might not be the one waiting for me.
